Cotton picking unit



May 27, 1958 1. 1= HARING COTTON PICKING UNIT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 50, 1955 h a n- [VG/7 f? Ha /n79 INVENTOR. BY %Mm j May 27, 1958 1. P. HARING 2,835,025

COTTON PICKING UNIT Filed June 30, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH nnnnnn HHHHHHHHHHHHMHMHMI 4 INVENTOR.

. BY ALMA f y 27, 1953 l. P. HARlNG 2,836,025

COTTON PICKING UNIT 4 Sheets-5heet 3 Filed June 30, 1955 [Va/7 Ha r/0y INVENTOR May 27, 1958 1. P. HARING COTTON PICKING UNIT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 30, 1955 [van flan/7y INVENTOR.

BY 44m United States Patent C COTTON PECKDJG UNIT Ivan P. Haring, Crosby, Tern, assignor of twenty-five percent to E. A. Kruse, twenty-five percent to Howard T. TeHepsen, and fifteen percent to H. C. Donahue, all of Houston, Tex.

Application June 30, 1955, Serial No. 519,129

6 Claims. (Cl. 56-49) This invention relates to cotton picking machines and more particularly to an improvement in the type of cotton picking machine disclosed in Patent No. 2,680,341 granted June 8, 1954 to me.

The picker disclosed in the aforesaid Patent No. 2,680,- 341 overcome certain disadvantages of prior cotton pickers such as wasteful and injurious handling of the plants, necessity of moistening the cotton, synchronization of the drums with the foreward speed of the picker as well as considerable simplification of parts.

The present invention is directed to certain improvements in mechanical cotton pickers, particularly of the type mentioned, although the principles may be applied to other cotton pickers, in the dofling assembly, driving and reversing mechanisms for the driven elements, collecting system for defied cotton, and in providing yieldable tensioning means coacting with the picking spindles to insure substantially complete picking of the cotton by the spindles.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved cotton picking machine of the type mentioned which is efficient, rugged and durable in use and which may be maintained and repaired and have parts replaced easily and readily.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide such a cotton picking machine with an improved dotting assembly.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cotton picking machine having improved and simplified reversing means for the cotton picking spindles.

And yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cotton picking machine having an improved system for removing cotton from the doflier assembly and conveying it to a hopper.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide tensioning means which yieldably coact with the picking spindles to insure substantially complete picking of cotton from the plants.

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved drive assembly for the picking and dot ting assemblies.

Other and further objects and features will be apparent from the following detailed description of an example of the invention, given for the purpose of disclosure, and by reference to the accompanying drawings, where like character references designate like parts throughout the several views, and where Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cotton picker constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a cotton picker illustrated in and taken along the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a top view of the picking and doffing assemblies and illustrates drive means for these assemblies,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of the picking unit taken along the line 44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section,

2,836,025 Patented May 27, 1958 illustrating the removal of cotton from the spindles by the improved dofi'er assembly,

Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a picking spindle,

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 7-7 of Figure 4,

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the improved dofier of the present invention taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 4, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating brush means to clean the spindle of cotton remaining after passing the dotfer assembly.

In general, a cotton picking machine constructed according to the present invention includes one or more drums which are laterally spaced and staggered and which are rotatable about vertical axes between which drums rows of cotton plants pass as the machine moves forward and straddles the rows of cotton plants. These drums are rotated in opposite directions so that the surfaces of the drums coming in contact with the cotton plants move in an opposite direction from the relative movement of the cotton plants. Vertical cotton picking elements are carried by and arranged circumferentially about the peripheries of these drums and are rotatable about vertical axes independent of the drums. The drums are staggered in the direction of movement of the machine and a tensioning roll is yieldably disposed opposite each drum so that as the picking elements are brought into engagement with the cotton plants, on which is referred to as the picking side of the drums, they engage and remove the lint from the bolls, the tensioning rolls yieldably pressing the cotton plants against the picking elements to insure substantially complete picking, but yielding to avoid injury to the plants. These picking elements are carried around to the delivery side of the drums where their rotation is reversed by improved reversing means thereby tending to unwind the picked lint from the spindles. Improved dofiing assemblies are provided on the delivery side to remove the picked lint from the spindles and collecting means are provided to collect the dotted lint. As the spindles are carried away from the delivery side of the drums, the rotation is again reversed and the picking elements are again rotated to engage and pick lint from the bolls.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a cotton picking machine which, for the purpose of disclosure, is illustrated as being of the self-propelled type. The machine includes suitable frame members 12 to which are secured the housings or casings 14 of the cotton picking and delivery elements and to which is secured the hopper 16 by means of suitably braced supports 18. As best seen in Figure 2, the casings 14 housing cotton picking and delivery elements of the device 10 are two opposed and staggered elements having a longitudinal passage 15 through which rows of cotton plants being picked may pass and be straddled by the machine. Various elements illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 are conventional and no detailed description of the means to propel the device, support the hopper, direct the plants into passageway 15, and the like are deemed necessary.

Referring to Figure 7 the cotton picking elements comprise a pair of laterally-spaced and staggered drums 20, each of which is rotatable about a vertical shaft 22, which rotatably secure the drums 2% to the frame members 12. Rotatably disposed about the periphery of the drums 20 Fare a plurality of vertically-disposed cotton spindles or cotton picking elements 24. Thus, when the drums 20 rotate in opposite directions about their vertical axes so that the picking side of each drum meets the line of relative movement of the plant as the machine progresses forward, the spindles 24 independently rotate about their own vertical axes as they are rotated by the drums 20 about the axes 22 of the drums.

Referring still to Figure 7, tensioning means for the picking elements are provided to yieldably press the cot ton plants against the picking elements to insure substantially complete picking of lint from the bolls yet without injury to the cotton plants. "These tensioning means take theform ofthe drums 19 which are rotatable about the shafts 21 and which are rotatably secured to the supporting arms 23 rotatably secured to the frame 14 by the pins 25, see Figure 4. A spring 27 is secured to one of the support arms and to the frame 14 at- 29. This yieldingly maintains the rolls 19 apredetermined distance from adjacent picking spindles, such as 1 inch or other preferred distance. A pair of limit pins 31' is disposed on each side of swing or support arm 23 to limit movement of the rolls 19 and, for example, a range'from 1 inch or /2 inch to about 6 inches is satisfactory for most cotton plants.

, Nomeans are necessary to drive the tension rolls 19 as engagement with the cotton plantscauses them to roll or rotate.

Thus, as cotton plants move into the machine, they are yieldably held against the picking elements for maximum picking efliciency and minimum injury to the plants.

Onthe opposite or delivery side of each drum 20 from the picking side, dotfer assemblies generally indicated by the reference numeral 26 are provided. As best seen in Figures 4, 5, 7 and 8 each doffer assembly 26 includes a plurality of radially extending strip-like wipers 28 secured to and extending from vertically and rotatably disposed doffer shafts 30. The wipers 28 are made of flexible material and rubber, neoprene, and plastics and the like have been found quite satisfactory. For ease of construction the doifer shafts 30 may include a central support 32 surrounded by "a slotted doifer sleeve 34. The wipers 28 may thus be inserted in the slots 28' of the doffer sleeve 34, as best illustrated in Figure 8, and then the doffer sleeve 34 slipped over central support 32 with the dotfer sleeve 34 held in place on central support 32 by the screws 35. However, any method may be used to secure the wipers 28 to the doffer shafts 30, but the illustrated method has been found quite satisfactory.

As each improved doffer assembly 26 rotates it engages the lint and doffs it from the spindles 24 by a wiping action as will be explained in more detail later. With the use of these improved doffer assemblies 26 no ejector is necessary to remove cotton'from the doffer assemblies 26.

A satisfactory spindle or cotton picking element 24 for use in the present invention is illustrated in Figure 6 where the spindle 24 is shown as having a series of circumferential smooth-faced spacing or guard elements 36 alternating with the circumferential grooves 38 disposed on each side of the circumferential teeth 40. The lower ends 42 of the spindle-s 24 are reduced and rotatably journaled in the peripheral flanges 44 carried by the lower end-s of the drums 2d. The heads of the spindles 24 are slightly enlarged as at 46 and have the threaded counterbores 48 by which the pulleys 50 are preferably threadedly secured to the spindles 24 by means of the bolts 52. In addition, the upper flanges 53 which are carried on the drums 2i) rotatably receive the heads 46 and, thus, the spindles 24 are rotatably scoured to the drums 20. It will be noted that while the pulleys 50 are illustrated as being threaded to the spindles 24, they may be made integral therewith or secured to the spindles 24 in any suitable manner, such as by welding and the like. In addition, suitable bearings and the like may be provided, but are omitted to simplify the disclosure.

In operation, as mentioned previously, the spindles 24 are rotated in contact with the cotton plants and the smooth portions 36 prevent damage to the plants and 4 V preventpicking of leaves and the like, while the teeth 49, which are inclined in the direction of rotation, will engagethe lint and pull it from the bolls. The cotton winds about the spindles 24 and is held there by tension of the cotton against the vertical cylinder drums 20, the winding action of the spindles 24, and the tension created by the tensioning rollers 39 yieldingly pressing the cotton plants against the drums 2t and spindles 24.

By means described later, the spindles 24 have their direction of rotation reversed after picking the cotton and before contacting the doffer assemblies 26 so that the teeth 46 are inclined away from the direction of rotation of the spindles 24 and the cotton unwinds. When the spindles 24 contact the doffer assemblies 26 they are rotating in' the directions shown in Figure 5 so that the wipers 23 contact the spindles 24 and cotton thereon and doff the cotton by a wiping action. The spindles 24 are at the moment of dofling rotating with the teeth 49 inclined away from the direction of rotation thereby permitting unwinding of the lint therefrom by the wiping action of the dofling wipers 28.

In order to provide rotation to the picking and dotfing assemblies, the upper end of one each of the doifers is provided with a pulley 54 which is driven bythe endless belt 55 from the pulley 56. Meshing gears 57 areprovided at the upper end of each dofier so that as one doifer is rotated,.the other is rotated in a reverse direction. Sprocket gears 58 and 59 and sprocket chain 60 transmit rotation to the pulley 56 for driving the doffers. Sprocket gears 68 and .61 and sprocket chain 62 transmit rotation to the drums 24}. A pulley wheel 64 transmits rotation to the pulley wheels 59 disposed at the upper end of each picking spindle, as previously mentioned, by the endless belt 66 so that rotation is transmitted to the pickers independently of the drums 20. An idler wheel 68 provides proper spacing of the belt 66 to permit the reversing action of the spindles presently described. 7

To cause a reversal in the direction of rotation of the individual spindles 24 as the drum 2t} is-rotated tobring them to the'delivery side, there is provideda drag belt 69 which drags on the individual spindles 24 at the pulleys 5i). Proper tension in this drag belt 69 is main:

tained by having it anchored through a spring 70 at one 7 end. This advantageously avoids the necessity for any reversing drive as the rotation of the drums and'engagement of the pulleys 50 with the reversing belt 69 causes an unwinding or reverse rotation of the spindles 24. 7

Of course, any direct drive to the drums 20 may be provided or any desired linkage and drive may be utilized. However, the simplified drive of the doffer assemblies 26 and the improved means of reversing the action of the individual spindles on the deliveryside gives the proper drive and reversing action with simplified construction which is highly advantageous in cotton picking machines. 7

The drive for the endless belts and gear linkages is provided by suitable gear linkage, not shown, from the motor of the device to the driving gear '58. The provision of such a drive is conventional and may be by chain drive and sprocket wheel or any conventional drive and no description thereof is deemed necessary.

Thus, the drums, spindles and doifer assemblies are rotated and the drums are rotated in opposite directions to meetthe forward progress of the relative movement of the cotton plants as they pass through the passageway 15 as are the spindles 24 when they are in-contact with belt 66. When the spindles 24'come in contact with drag belt 69 their rotation is reversed and, as better seen in Figure 5, the teeth 40 are directed away from the rotation of the spindles 24 and thereby provide unwinding of the cotton on the spindles. The wipers 28 on each doffer assembly 26 ,efliciently doll the cotton from the spindles 24 by a gentle wiping action with the cotton falling away, from the doffer assemblies'26 after it has been wiped from the spindles 24.

In order to remove picked cotton from the dofier mechanism and to convey the cotton to a hopper 16 and with reference to Figures 1 and 7, a current of air is provided by means of a pair of fans 72 in communicating conduit 74 extending from the lower part of the forward sides of the casings 14 to the hopper 16. Thus currents of air are provided which remove the picked cotton from the housing 14 and the doner assemblies 26 and convey it in the conduits 74 into the hopper 16. The casings 14 have the inwardly extending portions '73 which permit a certain amount of leakage .adjacent the spindles 24 on the delivery side'of the drums 2t) to provide an entrance of air into the casings 14 and the conduit 74. With this arrangement of doffer assemblies 26 and with the fan 72 providing a suction Within the casings 14 there is no need for additional baifiing for control of air within the casings to assist in doffing the cotton.

In operation the cotton picker is moved forward in the direction of the arrows indicated in Figures 3 and 7 and it straddles the rows of cotton plants which rows are guided by the baflles 27' into the passage 15 between the drums 2t). The drums are rotated so that the picking side of the drums 2h meets the relative movement of the cotton plants and the spindles 24 are similarly rotated in the same direction as they engage the cotton. The tensioning rollers 19 yieldingly press the cotton plants against the drums 2t? and spindles 24 and the circumferential teeth 40, the circumferential recesses 38, and the spacing elements 3d combine to engage the plants, the spacing elements preventing the plants from being damaged and preventing foliage or trash from being picked. The circumferential teeth 40', being inclined in the direction of rotation of the spindles on the picking sides of the drums, pull the cotton from the bolls and wind the cotton on the spindles 24 and hold it thereon by means of tension created by the lint bearing against the face of the drum 2%) and the rollers 19 as the cottton is wound about the spindles. side of the drums 2% their direction is reversed, as heretofore described, and the wipers 23 remove the cotton from the spindles, inasmuch as the spindles are tending to unwind the cotton therefrom due to their reverse rotation, the teeth of the spindles being so disposed as to permit the wiping of the cotton therefrom by the wipers 28 of the dolfer assemblies 26'. The air current generated by the fan 72 aids in the removal of the cotton from the spindles 24 and removes the cotton from the doffer assemblies 25 and conveys the picked cotton through the conduits 74 into the hopper 16 disposed at the top of the machine. Inasmuch as the cotton is not moistened, the picked cotton may be ginned in any ordinary gin without the utilization of special and expensive equipment available only in scattered locations.

If desired, spray nozzles may be located in a conventional manner to spray and lubricate the spindles 24 with a conventional oil or water spray so that in picking green plants, gums from green plants will not cause the cotton to stick. However, such sprays ordinarily are not necessary.

As illustrated in Figure 9, a brush 82 may be provided to engage the spindles 24 and remove any lint remaining thereon if desired. The brush 82 is positioned in the housing 14 and preferably reciprocates vertically. This may be provided by the arm 34 secured to the brush 82 and the rotating cam 86. The cam is driven by suitable linkage, not shown. The brush 82 may be made to reciprocate in any conventional manner, or may be omitted if desired.

Thus, While the cotton picking machine has been described in some detail, it is manifest that numerous changes may be made therein. The various improvements may be used separately from the others, although these parts advantageously coact to produce improved results. Also, the device may be of the self-propelled or trailer type and may serve as a cleaner to pull the lint As the spindles reach the opposite or delivery from cotton bolls although the cotton has already been picked from the plant, any suitable means being utilized to feed the cotton bolls into the machine.

The present invention, therefore, is well suited to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as others inherent therein. Numerous changes may be made in the details and arrangements of parts and the present invention is to be limited only by the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cotton-picking machine, a drum rotatable about a vertical axis and having a cylindrical face, a plurality of vertical picking spindles carried by the drum and arranged circumferentially about the face thereof, said picking spindles having picking teeth and being independently rotatable about vertical axes and disposed in closely-spaced relation to the face of the drum, a tensioning roller yieldingly mounted on the cotton-picking machine adjacent the drum yieldingly urging cotton plants against the drum and the picking spindles whereby cotton engaged by the picking spindles is wound thereabout and held thereon by means of tension created by the cotton bearing against the face of the drum, the winding action of the picking spindles and the tensioning rollers, driving means connected to the drum and to the picking spindles to rotate the drum and the picking spindles about a common axis and to rotate the picking spindles independently of the drum, and doffing means carried by said picking machine and mounted thereon adjacent the picking spindles to engage and remove the picked cotton therefrom.

2. In a cotton-picking machine, a drum rotatable about a vertical axis and having cylindrical face, a plurality of vertical picking spindles carried by the drum and arranged circumferentially about the face thereof, said picking spindles having picking teeth and being independently rotatable about vertical axes and disposed in closelyspaced relation to the face of the drum, a roller yieldingly mounted on the cotton-picking machine adjacent the drum yieldingly urging cotton plants against the drum and the picking spindles whereby cotton engaged by the picking spindles is wound thereabout and held thereon by means of tension created by the lint bearing against the face of the drum, winding action of the picking spindles and the roller, driving means connected to the drum and to the picking spindles to rotate the drum and the picking spindles about a common axis and to rotate the picking spindles independently of the drum, a dofiing assembly carried by the cotton picking machine and arranged to engage cotton wound on the picking spindles, said dothng assembly including vertically and radially extending flexible strips from a vertical axis and mounted on the cotton-picking machine adjacent the picking spindles to wipe the picked cotton therefrom, and reversing means operatively connected to said picking spindles during that portion of rotation of the drum adjacent the doffing assembly for reversing the direction of rotation of the picking spindles after picking of the cotton and during wiping of the picked cotton by the dofiing assembly.

3. A cotton-picking machine comprising, portable means, at least a pair of drums disposed in spaced relation and each rotatable about a vertical axis carried by said portable means, said drums being staggered with respect to one another in the direction of movement of the machine and having cylindrical faces, said machine having a passage for cotton plants therethrough engageable by said drums, vertical picking elements carried by the drums and arranged circumferentially about the face thereof, said picking elements having picking teeth and being independently rotatable about vertical axes and disposed in closely spaced relation to each of the faces of the drums which carry them, tensioning rollers yieldably mounted opposite each drum adjacent to the passage for to said drums and to said picking elements to rotate each a drum and thepicking elements carried thereby about a common axis and to rotate the picking elements inde.

pendently of each said drum, and dofiing means carried by the portable means and disposed proximate outer surfaces of the picking elements to engage and remove the cotton from the picking spindles.

4. The cotton-picking machine of claim 3 where the doffing means include fiexible wipers extending vertically and radially from a vertical axis and arranged 'to wipe the picking elements to dofi the picked cotton therefrom.

5. The cotton-picking machine of claim 3 including means operatively connected to said picking elements to reverse rotation of the picking elements during a portion of each revolution of each drum while cotton is being doffed therefrom by the dofling means. p

6. A cotton picker comprising a drum rotatable about a horizontal axis and having a cylindrical face, a plurality of picking spindles carried by the drum and ar ranged circumferentially about the face thereof, saidpicking spindles having picking teeth and being independently rotatable about vertical axes and disposed in closelyspaced relation to the face of the drum, driving means operatively connected to the drum and to the picking spindles'to rotate the drum and the picking spindles about a common axis and to rotate the picking spindles inde-- pendently of the drum, a tensioning'roller yieldingly mounted on the picker in horizontally-spaced relationship'to the'face of the drum yieldingly urging the cotton against the drum and the picking spindles whereby the cotton engaged by the picking spindles is wound thereabout and held thereon by means of tension created by the cotton bearing against the face of the drum, the winding action of the picking spindles and the tensioning roller, and dofling meansmounted on the picker adjacent the picking spindles to engage and remove picked cotton therefrom. I

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith Oct. 26, 1954 

